ABRI threatens antigovernment activists

ABRI threatens antigovernment activists

JAKARTA (JP): Armed Forces (ABRI) Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung
warned yesterday antigovernment groups against attempting to
disturb the general session of the People's Consultative Assembly
next March.

He said the military had also taken some proactive measures to
anticipate and detect any such attempt. Speaking to reporters
after meeting with President Soeharto at Merdeka Palace, Feisal
said ABRI would enforce the laws on any antigovernment movement.

"We hope those people will act constitutionally, if they
believe they are constitutional then the law will judge whether
they have violated the Constitution," the general said.

Soeharto told ABRI at the commemoration of its 52nd
anniversary Sunday that the Armed Forces were obliged to
guarantee that the assembly proceed smoothly and safely.

The Assembly is expected to elect a president, vice president
and endorse the State Policy Guidelines for the 1998/2003 period
when it convenes in March.

During yesterday's press conference, Feisal spoke about
several groups alleged to have attempted to undermine the
government. One of the groups was the "Tenth Division", which
includes admirers of the late president Sukarno who conduct
illegal military exercises in East Java.

"They may face criminal charges or even subversion charges,"
Feisal said of the 60 people, including three ABRI deserters,
arrested in Malang. The group was said to be influenced by Arief
Kusno Saputro who claimed to be the reincarnation of Sukarno.

The group provided military training for members to prepare
them to "safeguard Sukarno and secure the general assembly of the
People's Consultative Assembly" next March.

"They wanted to set up their own Armed Forces, they made their
own ranks from captain to general and had their own uniforms and
their own military training," Feisal said.

Wahab identified the deserters as Lt. Col. Kunandar of the
Artillery Training Center in Cimahi, West Java; Sgt. Maj.
Suripto, a logistic staff official of the Army Strategic Reserves
Command's (Kostrad) second division; and First Sgt. Ekpriadi of
the Navy Headquarter's Data Center.

Feisal also spoke of a group of 21 people arrested in Bekasi
recently for allegedly attempting to set up a separate Islamic
state.

City Police Chief Maj. Gen. Hamami Nata said recently the
suspects had declared an Islamic state in place of the Republic
of Indonesia.

Feisal accompanied yesterday his counterpart from Guinea-
Bissau Brig. Gen. Ansamane Mane to pay a courtesy call on the
President.

"Mane told me that he will brief his government about the real
situation in East Timor," Feisal said.

Guinea-Bissau is a small country with a population of one
million on Africa's West Coast. It was formerly Portuguese Guinea
until it won its independence from Portugal in 1974.

During their talks, Feisal offered to train officers of
Guinea's 2,000-strong military.

"They can invite some of their officers to get training here,"
he added.

Tension

Separately, Moslem scholar Abdurrahman Wahid warned the
community yesterday about rising political tension as the country
approaches the general assembly.

The chairman of the 30 million-strong Nahdlatul Ulama also
noted possible political conspiracies, especially in connection
with the vice presidential election.

"There will be certain pressure groups waging a campaign for
their own vice presidential candidates," he said at his office.

But he said the alleged conspiracies could backlash and
provoke people's anger.

Abdurrahman, better known as Gus Dur, also warned of possible
rioting and increasing violence.

"I'm not sure that the people's violent actions in the riots
in the past were spontaneous. I believe they were provoked," he
said.

At the same time, Abdurrahman called on members of the House
of Representatives to "rehabilitate" their public image.

Whether this effort could succeed, however, will depend on the
quality of the new members, he said.

He also noted people's growing apathy of the political
situation.

"People are now less interested in state political affairs,"
he said. (prb/imn)